Transcript Highlights:

• That is a very, very quick turnaround for Arkansas.
• It’s a very quick turnaround that we’re asking of our sub-recipients, but unfortunately those timelines
• That is a very, very quick turnaround for Arkansas.
• It's a very quick turnaround that we're asking of our sub-recipients, but unfortunately that is, those
• No more than, I think, a 30-day turnaround is what we're looking at. Okay.

Summary: The committee first heard extensive public testimony from youth and advocates urging stronger restrictions on vaping. Speakers described vaping as a youth-targeted public health problem, citing flavored products, social media marketing, nicotine addiction, brain development concerns, school disruption, and exposure to harmful aerosol. They recommended prohibiting vaping in public indoor spaces and aligning vape rules with smoke-free laws. Committee members praised the speakers and encouraged them to continue building support for future legislation. The main presentation was on Arkansas’s Rural Health Transformation Program, administered through DFA. Secretary Jim Hudson and program director Brad Andi explained that Arkansas received about $209 million in the first year under the federal program, with potential for roughly $1 billion over five years if performance is strong. They emphasized that the program is meant for long-term rural health transformation, not general operating support, debt relief, or new construction. The state’s plan centers on four initiatives: HEART for prevention and community health, PACT for access and provider collaboration, RISE for workforce development, and THRIVE for technology and telehealth. Officials said applications will be handled through upcoming notices of funding opportunity, with a focus on local, shovel-ready projects, regional collaboration, and transparency. Committee members asked how the program would work for hospitals, clinics, nonprofits, schools, faith groups, and urban providers serving rural patients. Officials said eligibility is broad if applicants can show a connection to rural health, and that targeted renovations, mobile units, school-based clinics, farm-to-school or garden projects, EMS equipment, residency expansion, and behavioral health initiatives may fit if they align with the plan. They stressed that the program cannot fund working capital, routine maintenance, or new buildings, but can support repurposing space and collaborative networks. Members also raised concerns about protecting existing rural providers from being displaced, and officials said applications would be reviewed by a state committee with technical assistance and a reimbursement-based process. The committee then reviewed and took no objection to several DHS and Health Department rules. DHS presented a Medicaid/CHIP rule implementing federal requirements for incarcerated youth, including pre- and post-release coverage, care coordination, targeted case management, and screening services, with no public comments received. The Health Department also presented a licensing rule for audiology and speech pathology that implements recent acts and changes the renewal deadline; that rule was likewise reviewed without objection. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Setting up a tent on campus saying, 'Prove me wrong.'
• It is the turnaround schools.
• The turnaround schools model has model funding that is basically this amendment.
• In 2017 and 2018, we identified 133 turnaround schools.
• Security is paying attention to all the things that are going on on campus.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, quorum call, and several recognitions, including tributes to former members and law enforcement. The chamber then adopted the special order report and moved to the day’s special-order calendar. Early bills passed unanimously, including CS/HB 401 on FDLE security details for major party nominees for governor and lieutenant governor, CS/HB 1063 on gubernatorial transition procedures, HB 593 on governmental agencies and personnel, CS/CS/HB 655 on confidential attorney-client meetings for local governments in pending litigation, and HB 6011 on ethics gift/honoraria reporting procedures. Each of these measures was explained by sponsors as transparency, security, or administrative process legislation, and each passed 115-116 to 0. The chamber then took up CS/HB 125, designating October 14 as Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance. The bill drew extensive and sharply divided debate over whether a state remembrance was appropriate for Kirk, with opponents arguing he was a polarizing political figure and that the House should focus on affordability and other constituent concerns, while supporters framed the bill as a defense of free speech and opposition to political violence. A proposed amendment to replace the designation with a George Floyd remembrance was ruled not germane. After structured debate, the bill passed 82-31. Members also considered transportation designation measures. SB 628, substituted for CS/HB 885, included multiple road and bridge namings and an amendment designating a 124-mile stretch of State Road 80 as the President Donald J. Trump Highway; the amendment and bill passed 82-26. CS/HB 33 similarly designated portions of roads as Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue and President Donald J. Trump Boulevard, prompting another lengthy debate over the appropriateness of honoring political figures and the use of public roadways for such designations; it passed 82-30. The House then began debate on CS/HB 35, “Isaiah’s law,” which would add driving without a valid license to the habitual traffic offender list after repeated offenses, with sponsors citing a fatal hit-and-run and opponents questioning prosecutorial discretion and the bill’s practical effects.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want it to be a fair turnaround. Representative Gant: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
• It is the turnaround schools.
• In 2017 and 2018, we identified 133 turnaround schools.
• , and we were texting each other: Are you on campus?
• Security is paying attention to all the things that are going on on campus.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're restructuring to build an elite flagship campus.
• campus in New Orleans, and the health science campus in Shreveport.
• As one who grew up a block from campus and still lives a block from campus, LSU was always my playground
• And just proud to represent the campus. Thank you.
• Okay, so basically the campus. Yes, ma'am.

Bills: HR175, HCR81, SB105, SB290, SB304, SB374, SB522

Keywords: TOPS, education funding, workforce development, postsecondary education, Louisiana Works, tech training, declining enrollment, public schools, school districts, Louisiana Department of Education, state superintendent, school closures, budget cuts, teacher layoffs, school consolidation, education policy, enrollment decline, birth rates, migration, private schools

Bills: SB216, SB229, SB216, SB229

Keywords: retired law enforcement, retirement benefits, employment, firemedics, salary cap, released time, religious instruction, elective credit, public schools, K-12 education, school board policy, church-state separation, parochial education, Bible class, faith-based instruction, student release, attendance credit, State Board of Education, local school board, parental consent

Bills: HB5691, SB427, SB2623, SB2858

Keywords: municipal management district, bonds, assessments, property taxes, economic development, eminent domain, special district, SB 427, local government, political subdivision, state loan, state grant, financial reporting, annual financial statement, annual report, county report, municipal finance, water district, municipality, county auditor

Bills: SB1071, SB1444, SB1483, SB1556, SB1703, SB1756, SB1854, SB2036, SB2133, SB2297, SB2622, SB2779, SB2955, SB2979

Keywords: municipality, tax revenue, hotel project, convention center, economic development, hotel tax, municipal authority, local governments, local authority, convention centers, hotel occupancy tax, municipal finance, local tax revenue, tourism, hotel and convention center project, Tax Code Chapter 351, city revenue, special district, Texas municipalities, venue financing

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the campus that's requesting that ability to apply for a license.

Bills: HF2601, HF2607, HF2027, HF2608

Keywords: financial institutions, insurance regulation, insurance holding company, group capital calculation, liquidity stress test, NAIC, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, insurer solvency, affiliate transactions, groupwide supervision, internationally active insurance group, lead state commissioner, policyholder protection, hazardous financial condition, deposit or bond, contract for deed, conventional loan, cooperative apartment loan, mortgage interest rate cap, average prime offer rate

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an awesome campus.
• We have 1,100 students that live on this campus.
• Chairman Sickler: “It could be on the college campus.
• a lot of the kids on campus.
• South end of campus. Okay. Right on the main oval. Thank you.

Summary: The committee reconvened at North Dakota State College of Science for a presentation from President Dr. Flanagan and college leaders about NDSCS’s mission, enrollment growth, workforce training, and facilities needs. Flanagan highlighted student success in national competitions, strong placement and retention, growing enrollment, and new or expanding programs in aviation maintenance, fire science, dental hygiene, community health worker training, surgical technology, HVAC/plumbing, and precision agriculture. He also emphasized the college’s partnerships with industry, including John Deere, Fargo Jet Center, Sanford, and Comdel Innovation, and said NDSCS plans to seek approval next session for a revenue bond to build a new dorm and to remodel the library into academic and allied health space. Allied health dean Deb Smith testified that her division is at capacity and needs a simulation center, more lab and classroom space, and expanded dental and OTA facilities to meet demand and accreditation needs. Committee members questioned Flanagan and staff about workforce shortages, especially faculty pay, and whether the college can staff additional growth. Flanagan said the biggest challenge is recruiting instructors because industry pays more, but noted some health care and adjunct hiring is possible because of schedule flexibility and benefits. He also discussed shifting resources away from lower-demand programs like power sports toward higher-demand areas such as automotive and aviation maintenance. Members also asked about the college’s identity as a technical institution, with Flanagan arguing North Dakota would benefit from a more defined tech-school system. The committee then received a University System presentation from Jamie Wilkie on the cost of delivering dual credit. Wilkie explained the methodology used to allocate direct and overhead costs across subsidized and unsubsidized dual credit, noting that dual credit and early entry account for about 5.9% of total credit hours and 2.7% of formula funding. The analysis showed subsidized dual credit tuition revenue of about $5.5 million and unsubsidized revenue of about $2.9 million, with some institutions showing margins and others losses depending on the model. Members discussed whether K-12 funding should also be reflected, how payments to high schools and teachers are structured, and whether tuition-free dual credit would require replacing both tuition revenue and the current dual credit scholarship. No votes were taken; the committee simply received the presentations and discussed the findings.

Transcript Highlights:

• But, uh, if you've ever been on campus, Clemens Lake Dam just has sort of a righteous frown.
• It's sort of looking down at the campus there. Uh, it's a great place to go sledding.
• ,</c> But, uh, if you've ever been on campus, But, uh, if you've ever been on campus, Clemens<00:10:35.839
• </c><00:10:42.480><c> Uh,</c> looking down at the campus there.
• Uh, looking down at the campus there.

Keywords: 00:02 EEC – State-Owned Dams 21:07 EEC – Grid Resilience Grant Funds 37:24 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard presentations from the Department for Environmental Protection and the Office of Energy Policy on Kentucky’s state-owned dam repair program and the electric grid resilience program. Commissioner Tony Hatton explained how state dams are defined and classified under Kentucky law, the criteria used to prioritize repairs or decommissioning, and the status of several projects funded in the last biennium. He said the department is using a design-bid-build process, with major work planned or underway at Willisburg Lake, Big Bone Lick State Park Dam, Clemens Lake Dam, Marion County Sportsman’s Dam, Chinoa Lake Creek/Canning Creek Dam, and Lake Malone, and that $0.5 million is reserved for routine repairs. He also described the timeline and cost pressures, noting that construction seasons and bid uncertainty can affect schedules and estimates. Members asked several questions about whether the estimates were current, how accurate the bids tend to be, why the process takes so long, and whether it would be better to fund design separately before construction. Hatton said the estimates are the best current engineering estimates, that costs often stay within about 10% but can vary, and that the overall process is usually closer to two years than four, though delays can occur. He also said all of the allocated dam funds must be available before bids can be let. The committee discussed whether design work can become stale if construction is delayed. Kenya Stump then updated the committee on Kentucky’s electric grid resilience program under federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding. She said Kentucky has received years one through three of the five-year program and has allocated funds to state park electric systems and municipal utilities, with years four and five not yet received. She identified Ken Lake State Park and Kentucky Dam Village as the two state park projects in progress, and Owensboro, Princeton, Williamstown, and Hopkinsville as the municipal projects selected through a competitive process. She said the projects are under contract or in final negotiations, with municipal construction expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026 and finish by the end of 2026, and explained that the work includes line, pole, transformer, meter, and outage-management upgrades. Members asked about the relationship between this program and prior park appropriations, the timing of agreements with Parks, and whether the park systems could eventually be transferred to the local electric cooperative; Stump said the park agreements are imminent and that the upgrades are intended to bring the systems up to code so the cooperative can maintain them. No votes were taken, and the chair adjourned the committee until the following Wednesday, with a possible time change to avoid a scheduling conflict.

Transcript Highlights:

• the things that I've learned having you've done this for a long time is that when a district or a campus
• it through the House quick and speedy this time. allows for school districts with a school under a campus
• turnaround plan to have a non-voting student.
• in the conversations that affect them, even... if there's not a school in the district under a turnaround
• the years, the last time in 2023, they have to do this within 180 days of their assignment to the campus

Bills: HB 1178, HB1411, HB1441, HB1773, HB1813, HB2107, HB2598, HB2911, HB2967, HB3672, HB5263, HB3797

Keywords: education, temporary certification, out-of-state educators, teacher shortage, military spouses, personal leave, school holidays, employee compensation, overtime provisions, school safety, peace officers, mental health, de-escalation techniques, trauma-informed care, student trustee, school board, student representation, education policy, nonvoting position, school governance

Bills: SB 2, SB 5, SB 10, HB17, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB17, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, SB2, SB5, SB10

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings

Bills: SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, SB 1, HB4, HB4, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, SB1, SB2, SB5

Keywords: school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments, through-year assessment, diagnostic reports, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plans

Bills: SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, SB 1, HB4, HB4, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, SB1, SB2, SB5

Keywords: school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments, through-year assessment, diagnostic reports, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plans

Bills: SB2, SB3, SB5, SB9, SB10, SB14, SB16, SB34, SB18, SB 2, SB 3, SB 5, SB 9, SB 10, SB 14, SB 16, SB 18, SB 34

Keywords: flooding, public safety, outdoor warning sirens, disaster preparedness, emergency response, flood warning, outdoor sirens, local government, safety measures, flood management, emergency preparedness, municipal safety, disaster response, disaster relief, emergency funding, Meteorological forecasting, local government assistance, training facilities, hemp regulation, consumable products

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, where they bring it sort of campus-wide.
• Can you speak to sort of the campus culture?
• The resource campus provision seeks to do.
• Because the resource campus generates over $1,000.
• What would a resource campus do for this campus? Several things.

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• Um I'm I don't believe that campus.
• So the fiscal note savings represents the cost of moving folks to a different part of the campus, and
• So the fiscal note savings represents the cost of moving folks to a different part of the campus, and
• of the New is nearby the main campus of the New Hampshire<00:16:04.639><c> Hospital.
• if they that all fell quick turnaround if they that all fell into<02:33:07.359><c> place.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: House Finance Division 3 met in work session and opened with procedural remarks from the chair about the committee’s schedule, deadlines, and recommendation options, noting the meeting was advisory and no votes were expected. The first bill discussed, House Bill 1569, concerned repealing the directive to sell the Anna Philbrook Center for Children property in Concord. Testimony from DHHS and New Hampshire Hospital focused on whether the property could be subdivided, the relationship to Senate Bill 572, the status of the city of Concord’s first right of refusal, and the practical effects of a sale. Witnesses said the $5 million sale estimate was a budget assumption, that moving staff and equipment would create some relocation costs, and that the center had required significant recent maintenance and renovation spending. Members also discussed the number of transitional housing beds at the site, the temporary nature of those beds, and whether the property should remain available given hospital workforce and service needs. The committee then turned to House Bill 661, which had been recommitted for further review after new information emerged. The chair summarized federal developments, including a December 2025 ACF letter and a related executive order, as well as a federal HHS press release about states diverting foster youths’ Social Security survivor benefits. Representative Walner explained that amendment 3055H had been drafted to move the bill forward in smaller steps, with a fiscal note requested on the amendment because the original bill was viewed as too large and expensive. Members discussed whether the committee had received copies of the amendment and whether federal guidance or funding had changed the policy landscape. The discussion also included broader questions about foster youth benefits and whether federal action would support state implementation. One member cited ACF language stating that only 11 states had enacted policies to stop interception of survivor benefits and that technical assistance would be available to the remaining states. The meeting remained in work-session mode throughout, with no votes taken and no final recommendations made during the portion provided. The chair indicated the committee could return to the bills later in the month.

Transcript Highlights:

• The loan modification program gives hospitals more time to implement their financial turnaround plans
• One of the DHLP hospitals, within the last two years, created such a program as part of their turnaround
• , management turnover is the most consistent factor in delays in the implementation of hospital turnaround
• Implementation of hospital turnaround plans.
• The approach is that having coaches on campus will create a space where students who need it are then

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:07:20.680><c> Thank</c><00:07:20.880><c> you,</c> should be a quick turnaround.
• next highest-achieving students on campus are often student parents.
• ,</c> highest-achieving students on campus, highest-achieving students on campus, the<00:25:41.760><c
• </c><00:25:45.080><c> Are</c><00:25:45.160><c> we</c> campus are often student parents.
• Are we campus are often student parents.

Bills: HF1323, HF4266, HF4413, HF3101, HF4572, HF4698, HF3650, HF2634

Keywords: undocumented, financial aid, state policy, higher education, noncitizen eligibility, state grants, college affordability, Office of Higher Education, Minnesota State Grant, need analysis, expected family contribution, student aid, grant formula, living and miscellaneous expense allowance, dependent student, independent student, parental contribution, student contribution, surplus appropriation, biennium

Transcript Highlights:

• That is a very, very quick turnaround for Arkansas.
• It’s a very quick turnaround that we’re asking of our subrecipients, but unfortunately those timelines
• So, as you can see, this is a very quick-moving program for year one, with a very quick turnaround, which
• do in changing a culture when it comes to food is building greenhouses and gardens on every single campus
• No more than, I think, a 30-day turnaround is what we're looking at. Okay.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee heard extensive public testimony from youth advocates and others urging stronger action on vaping in Arkansas. Speakers described high rates of youth vaping, the appeal of flavored products and social media marketing, health risks from nicotine and aerosol exposure, and school disruptions. They recommended prohibiting vaping in public indoor spaces, aligning vape rules with smoke-free laws, and expanding prevention and cessation efforts. Committee members praised the students for testifying and encouraged them to continue building support for future legislation. The main presentation was an overview of Arkansas’s Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year federal initiative funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. DFA officials said Arkansas received about $209 million for the first year and could receive roughly $1 billion over five years if performance remains strong. They emphasized that the program must be transparent, locally driven, and focused on transformation rather than operating support, debt relief, or new construction. They outlined four initiatives—Heart, PACT, Rise, and Thrive—covering prevention and community health, provider collaboration and access, workforce development, and technology/telehealth. Officials said applications would open in early May, with all four initiatives expected to launch by June, and that funds would be awarded through a reimbursement-based process with a quick turnaround. Committee members asked detailed questions about eligibility, allowable uses, timelines, and how the program would affect existing providers. Officials said rural eligibility could include providers in urban areas if they serve rural patients, and that existing programs could expand if they did not supplant current funding. They also said the program could support targeted renovations, mobile units, new residency slots, EMS equipment, and clinically integrated networks, but not working capital, permanent new buildings, or food purchases. Members raised concerns about protecting current rural providers, supporting school gardens and farmers markets, and ensuring nonprofits and faith-based groups could participate. Officials said the state would continue technical assistance and that the application review team would include DFA and health leadership. Later in the meeting, DHS presented a Medicaid and CHIP rule implementing federal requirements for incarcerated youth, including 30-day pre-release and post-release coverage, targeted case management, and screening services. The Department of Health also presented a rule updating audiology licensing to reflect recent acts and changing the renewal deadline from June 30 to October 31. Both rules were reviewed without objection, and the committee adjourned after no further business.